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Review
Blue Water Divers is one of the longest established dive operations in the British Virgin Islands and one of the best and most reputable dive companies in the Caribbean. Since 1980 when brothers Keith and Michael ‘Muffy’ Royle opened their first dive shop at Nanny Cay Resort and Marina, the business has provided reliable service and training to a huge number of divers, offering the best of the underwater Virgin Islands. They have gradually increased the number of staff and dive boats over the years but they have a conscious policy of maintaining a friendly and easy-going yet thoroughly professional approach to diving.
Today Blue Water Divers is a PADI Training Facility, and a PADI International Resort. It is also a SSI and Universal referral centre. The company has two locations on Tortola, at Nanny Cay Marina and at Sopers Hole Marina at the far western tip of the island. Their lively team of PADI qualified instructors know the best and most beautiful dive sites in the BVI and they have all the specialities between them, so they are able to instruct many different speciality courses. See more about Mike and Keith Royle and how Blue Water Divers BVI was started.
Blue Water Divers have a regular morning schedule of two-tank dives, with up to four dive boats leaving from their two locations. If you are on a yacht, they will rendezvous with your boat and return you in the early afternoon. All equipment is included although you may wish to bring your own if you would feel more comfortable with it. You can also private-charter their dive boats too, should you want to do an afternoon or night dive. Blue Water Divers also offer several packages with dives that can be spread over a number of days. |
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BVI Scuba Diving
If ‘Nature’s Little Secrets’ is the British Virgin Islands Tourist Office slogan for advertising the islands, it is equally true beneath the surface of the sea as it is above. The British Virgin Islands have some of the best diving in the Caribbean for their clear water, vibrant colours and abundance of marine life. Barracudas, nurse sharks, turtles and sting rays are regular sights along with a great variety of soft and hard corals. Between January and March, humpback whales visit the area and are seen quite often.
There are around 60 island and cays in the BVI, most of them lining the 18-mile length of the Sir Francis Drake Channel, which has something in the region of 100 BVI divesites in all. Whilst the BVI are not known for drift dives or walls, the sites offer up fantastic coral gardens, canyons, tunnels, caverns, grottos and wrecks bursting with underwater life. And they are particularly good for divers interested in underwater photography, both because of their colour and variety and because of the fact that there is virtually no current.
Finally, a good deal is done towards marine conservation in the BVI. Most of the popular dive sites are maintained by the National Parks Trust working in association with the Ministry of Natural Resources. The Trust has instituted a buoys programme to prevent the corals being damaged by anchors and have installed some 200 buoys since 1991.
Blue Water Divers recently had Jean-Michael Cousteau diving with them. He was conducting a Marine Environmental class at the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College. Students along with staff members from the college were taken out accompanied by Blue Water Divers instructors Chrissy and Neil. They dived The Indians, Rainbow Canyons and Angelfish Reef on the 19th, 21st and the 23rd of July, 2004. |
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BVI Dive Sites
We illustrate just a small selection of the most popular BVI divesites.
The Wreck of the RMS Rhone, Salt Island, intermediate – advanced
The most famous dive site in the BVI is the Royal Mail Steamer "Rhone", setting for the hit movie "The Deep", starring Nick Nolte and Jacqueline Bissett. The Rhone foundered during a hurricane in 1867 and is lying in depths from 20 to 80 feet, parts of her still intact. The wreck itself is fascinating to explore. She is colourfully decorated by a good variety of corals and is home to several resident barracuda, sea turtles, stingrays, angelfish, yellowtail snappers and many other varieties of fish life visit the Rhone. This is a "must see" for all levels of scuba divers!
The Indians, off Norman Island, novice - advanced
A popular diving and snorkelling site for all ages and abilities. The Indians is unique rock formation that looms out of the water from a depth of approximately 10ft to 50ft and features a tunnel which divers (with scuba equipment) may pass through to the other side. There is a spectacular variety of corals at the Indians as well as an abundance of reef fish.
Rainbow Canyons, Pelican Island, novice - advanced
This is an ideal dive site for beginner and advanced scuba divers and has a spectacular array of coral formations. Rainbow Canyons ranges in depth from 20 to 60 feet and is home to several colonies of garden eels, a huge variety of reef fish and several nurse sharks.
Angelfish Reef, Norman Island, novice - advanced
Angelfish reef runs from 30 to 80ft depths and is exposed to the open Caribbean Sea. As a result, it is frequented by several large and impressive, deep water species such as eagle rays and southern stingrays. The white sand bottom at the reef is host to many bottom dwellers including snake eels and moray eels.
Painted Walls, Deadchest Island (weather permitting), novice - advanced
It is almost as though an artist of the impressionist era plied their skills at Painted Walls. The walls, at depths of 30 to 50ft, are created by two underwater valleys that converge. They teem with colourful sponges as well as soft and hard corals and look remarkably similar to an artist's pallet! The main inhabitants at Painted Walls are nurse sharks, barracuda and lobsters. This BVI dive site is a great for beginner and advanced divers.
Blonde Rock, between Salt Island and Peter Island (weather permitting), intermediate - advanced
A spectacular, underwater amphitheatre that lies between 20 and 60 feet deep, featuring both large and small overhangs. There is a wide and colourful variety of coral formations and you may occasionally glimpse some sea turtles, sharks and rays of various species along with lobsters, crabs and conch.
Wreck Alley, Cooper Island, intermediate - advanced
Ideal for wreck diving enthusiasts, three wrecks lying in a row lying at 50 to 80ft of water, on a sandy bottom and right next to a mini wall. Plenty of stingrays and a great opportunity for spectacular, underwater photography.
Carrot Shoal, between Peter & Norman Island (weather permitting), intermediate - advanced
An amazing night dive. An oval-shaped reef formation at 20 to 60 feet with resident sea turtles, beautiful French angelfish, nurse sharks and more.
Santa Monica Rock, off Norman Island (weather permitting), intermediate - advanced,
A truly spectacular dive site The underwater topography is made up of a series of rocky pinnacles, some rising to just 10 feet below the surface. It is dived at depths ranging from 20 to 100 feet and you may have the opportunity to see reef sharks, sea turtles and eagle rays among others.
Thumb Rock, off Cooper Island, novice - advanced
An intriguing rock formation which, oddly enough, resembles its name. It attracts a good variety of fish life including tarpon, queen angelfish, French angelfish and the occasional sea horse. Depth ranges from 40ft to 70ft.
Alice in Wonderland, Ginger Island, intermediate - advanced
A beautiful dive site located in South Bay on Ginger Island, ranging in depth from 40ft to 100ft. It takes its name from its amazing mushroom shaped coral formations. It is often frequented by spotted eagle rays, spade fish and stingrays. Caribbean reef sharks have also been seen swimming along the reef edge.
Ginger Patches, Ginger Island, novice - advanced
Ginger Patches is located on the north side of Ginger Island. It starts off in about 20ft of water and slowly descends down to a depth of 70ft, and is a good alternate dive for Alice in Wonderland if the weather is rough. It has a spectacular array of coral in the shallow depths, lots of nooks and crannies for crabs and lobsters. |
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BVI Dive Courses
Discover Scuba (Resort Course)
A 3-hour instruction period with a shallow water dive, designed as a useful taster for anyone interested in trying scuba diving. The course familiarises you with the equipment in waist deep water and continues with a shallow dive. The Discover Scuba Course does not count towards certification courses but and it allows you to make as many dives as you like (at extra cost) with Blue Water Divers’ instructors. It is also a great introduction to the underwater world and will help you to decide whether you want to pursue diving as a pastime. Cost $115
PADI Open Water Certification
This course consists of some theory, confined water skill sessions and open water dives, and for your convenience the knowledge videos are available on cd-rom and DVD. The Open Water Course is just the start of your diving adventure and there are few places in the world that would offer you a better experience than the British Virgin Islands. This course gives you 5 days of diving with a total of 9 dives and offers you the fantastic opportunity of learning your diving in a number of the British Virgin Islands’ prime dive sites. Cost $410
PADI, SSI & Universal referral check out dives
For divers who have completed their pool and classroom work back home and want to make their certification dives on vacation. Referral enables you to complete your certification with 4 open water dives over 2 days in the crystal clear and warm waters of the Caribbean, on some of the best shallow dive sites in the BVI. It's a great way to get certified especially if you are from the cold north. Four check out dives, $270
PADI Advanced Course
The Advanced Course is designed to give you more experience as an open water scuba diver. Dives include Deep Dive, Navigation Dives, Wreck Dive, Night Dive (optional), Multilevel Dive, Search and Recovery and more. Cost $325
PADI Rescue Course
The next step is an intensive 10 day, ‘Rescue Diver’ certification course. You will learn to manage scuba rescue situations in a variety of conditions under water and on the surface. Cost $365
PADI Dive Master
The ultimate certification level of scuba diving (unless you want to become an Instructor). To pursue a career in Scuba Diving, this is a good course to start your dive training. This course may be completed within three to four weeks. Cost $450 |
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Tortola Scuba Diving Guided Tours
Single Tank Dive - US$70
Night Dive - US$80
Two Tank Dive - US$100
Dive Tours leave from the shop at Nanny Cay Marina or from a selected rendezvous with your charter boat. Equipment is included for all dives. The National Parks Fee of US$3 per diver, per day, is not included.
RENDEZVOUS DIVING
Blue Water Divers can rendezvous with your charter boat at Norman, Peter, Salt or Cooper Islands. They will meet you between 9.30am and 10am and after doing a 2 tank dive or the Resort Course for beginners, they will have you back at your boat by around 1.30pm. There is no additional charge for rendezvous diving and all equipment is included. |
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Package Plans
Tortola scuba diving packages from Blue Water Divers are available and there are discounts for 10 or more divers. Whether you are in the islands for a few days or a few weeks, you can get plenty of stunning BVI dives in your logbook.
3 Two - Tank Dives US$260
5 Two - Tank Dives US$380
The cost includes equipment, boat and guide. Larger dive packages and private charters are available on request. The National Parks Fee of US$3 per diver, per day, is not included. |
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Hotel Dive Packages
Sugar Mill Hotel has special dive package arrangements with Blue Water Divers. Please see the individual review page for further details by clicking on the the hotel name. |
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Dive Boats
Blue Water Divers operates 4 dive boats, Cat Blue 47ft, Blue Runner 40ft, Delta Blue 34ft and Aja Blue 24ft. They are all custom built for diving and have ladders, rinse buckets, dive platforms, tank racks, vhf radios, oxygen, first aid kit and coolers. |
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Shop
Blue Water Divers’ main shop is at Nanny Cay Resort and Marina. The resort, which is set on a 25 acre island overlooking Sir Francis Drake Channel, has a village atmosphere and a café. Their newer outlet at Sopers Hole deals with the sale of diving equipment such as BCs and regulators along with diving accessories and a wide variety of masks, fins and snorkels. There are t-shirts, hats, sandals, suntan lotions and more. Both stores rent out equipment (see above). Blue Water Divers is the distributor of DACOR, MARES, SHERWOOD, CRESSI SUB and SEADIVE equipment in the BVI. There are also fill station so you can get your tanks filled before setting sail.
Business Hours
The office and dive shops are open daily from 8am to 5pm.
From boats: VHF radio on CH 16 |
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Safety & Medical
All Blue Water Divers’ boats carry oxygen, first aid kits, vhf radios, lifejackets and other safety equipment. Their instructors are all trained in current first aid procedures and many are First Aid Responder Instructors.
If you are diving independently, here are some Dive Emergency Procedures:
- Treat all signs and symptoms of illness that occur during and immediately after diving as a possible dive accident.
- First Aid - Keep person out of direct sunlight and in a position of comfort and encourage them to remain calm. Administer Oxygen if available.
- Call for assistance – If you find yourself in distress while in BVI waters (or see someone else in distress and call for help on their account) please make your first call for help on VHF Channel 16 to declare a ‘Medical Emergency’ or ‘Mayday’. If you have access to a landline or cell phone dial 767. This will put you in direct contact with the VISAR (Virgin Island Search and Rescue) duty coordinator. If you are in US waters and have a cell-phone dial *CG. This will connect you with the Coast Guard operations room. For other types of distress or emergency dial 911 in the US, and 999 or 911 in the BVI.
- Be Prepared with the following information –
Name of Vessel
Number of people onboard
Nature of distress (medical emergency dive related)
Location of Vessel
- Remain Calm and speak clearly. Most dive boats carry oxygen and basic first aid kits and may respond to your call for help without hesitation.
The Divers Alert Network (DAN) 919 684 8111 or 919 684 4326 |
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How to Book
If you wish to make further enquiries or a reservation, please use the WEB LINK or DIRECT EMAIL ENQUIRIES facility at the top of this page to make contact with Blue Water Divers Tortola BVI, or if you wish to telephone them, please click on TELEPHONE CONTACT to reveal the number. |
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